The Buzzword Bible: A Cheat Sheet for Everything New PRos Need to Know

Entering the world of public relations can be intimidating – believe me, I’ve been there. Whether your new to Ohio University or recently decided to start diving into PR, everything going on can seem a little overwhelming. Let’s face it, us PR pros speak an entirely different language. Don’t panic because I’m here to help! Here are a few must-know words and phrases so your mind doesn’t become a jumbled mess during the next Scripps PRSSA meeting.

Analytics – The numbers behind everything you do. They show the success of a campaign or social media post and can be used to support your ROI and in making future strategic decisions.

AP Style – Your new best and worst friend. This is how you should always write. The AP Style Guide is sacred.

Branding – The outward image of any product or individual. This can include tone of voice, design elements, content topics, values and more.

Brand Journalism – Serving as a journalist and telling authentic stories from inside of a company.

Coffee – The only thing that keeps us busy PR pros alive.

Content Marketing – The new public relations and how you promote and distribute the content you produce.

C-Suite – The head honchos in a company such as Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer and Chief Marketing Officer. You will need to show them the value of your work because they make the big decisions.

Elevator Pitch – Imagine you are in an elevator with your dream employer. You need to highlight all of your key qualifications before they get out of the elevator in the most engaging and effective way. This is an elevator pitch.

Engagement – The number of people who interact with your message.

Integrated Communication – Today’s public relations field combines many different disciplines and this includes traditional PR, marketing and advertising communications.

Media Relations – Working with journalists to gain media coverage for your brand. The key to media relations is relationship building.

Press Release – A news article about an important event or announcement in your company. This is distributed to journalists to gain media placements.

Is there a word or phrase not covered in this list? Are you still left scratching your head? Don’t be afraid to ask! PRSSA is your opportunity to learn and grow, so speak up. Odds are the person next to you was wondering the same thing.

Brigitte Meisse is a senior Journalism- Strategic Communication major and the 2018-19 President of Scripps PRSSA. Join her adventure on Twitter @meisse2spicy